Treating Arthritis
Although there is
currently no cure for arthritis, there are several treatments available to
treat the symptoms and chronic pain often found with the condition. These
treatments can significantly improve quality of life for those suffering from
arthritis. Depending on the type of arthritis, your treatment goals may differ.
Some of the goals of
treatment can include:
• Decreasing and
managing the pain and other
symptoms
• Slowing the
progression of the condition
• Preserving mobility
and range of motion
• Preventing or
minimizing joint damage
or physical
deformities
Some of the most common
treatments for the
symptoms of arthritis
include:
Medications.
Often, individuals with
early symptoms of arthritis will self-treat with over the counter medications
such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Other over the counter options are
available as well, including topical creams. Depending on the severity of the
arthritis, your healthcare professional may choose to prescribe one or more
medications. There are several drug classes for treating arthritis.
Alternative Pain
Management.
Many patients prefer to
manage their pain without the use of drugs. Alternative options exist that can
help you to manage your pain as a replacement or supplement to a drug regimen.
Some of the options available to you include muscle stimulators, which can help
ease the pain of arthritis by sending small electrical impulses through the
skin to the underlying motor units (nerves and muscles) to create an
involuntary muscle contraction
Another category of
alternative pain management options is heat and cold therapy. Systems are
available that allow you to target specific areas of your body for pain relief
by using hot or cold water to help relax tight muscles or ease the pain of
arthritis.
Complementary
Medicine. There are many things
you can do in addition to your other treatment options. Your healthcare
professional can determine whether any complementary actions are right for you.
Some of the complementary
options available include:
Regular exercise.
Strongly recommended
for arthritis patients. Exercise can reduce pain and improve physical function,
muscle strength, and quality of life for people with arthritis.
Staying active with
osteoarthritis
There is no cure for
osteoarthritis but staying active helps sufferers to protect joints, reduce
pain and maintain independence. Osteoarthritis will get worse over time but
that does not mean that you cannot do things today that can protect your joints
in the future. It can be difficult to use joints when they feel painful and are
swollen and inflamed, but not using joints means they will become weak over
time. Weakness of joints results in stiff muscles and that will make it even
harder for you to get around. When you are not moving, the cycle of pain starts
all over again. Discussing pain control with doctor can help you to stay active
and to keep moving.
Benefits of Exercise
Exercise is the best
way to remain active and to improve health. Exercise helps you with pain management
and maintaining and improving balance, joint function, posture and overall
energy levels. Moreover, exercise improves flexibility and promotes muscle and
bone strength. Another benefit is the promotion of joint lubrication, which
allows bones to move freely with less pain and stiffness. In addition,
exercise, combined with a healthy diet, promotes weight loss, and less stress
on joints means less pain.
When deciding on an
exercise routine, consider exercises that put the least amount of stress on your
joints. In addition, you can avoid injuries by exercising in short increments
of time and resting in between. Less strenuous exercises include low impact
activities such as walking, water exercises and light weight lifting.
Walking
Walking provides many
benefits including the toning of muscles and joint protection of the spine,
hips, knees, and feet. The benefits to the spine include providing back pain
relief and strengthening the muscles of the back and abdomen to reduce back
pain. Benefits to hips include the reduction of factures, the strengthening of
muscles and bones, and the shifting of pressure on joints to strong muscles to
reduce pain in the hip area. The knees benefit because movement increases
production of synovial fluid to keep joints lubricated. When joints are
properly lubricated, pain and stiffness decreases. Lastly, the feet benefit
from walking because body weight is lowered thereby reducing the load on other
joints and stress on the feet.
Aquatic Exercise
Water exercise can
include activities such as water walking and swimming. For arthritis sufferers
who are hesitant to exercise because of pain, water exercise offers a good
starting point. In the water, your body is less stress and it is easier to move
when joints are less stressed. Many types of aquatic programs and water
exercises can benefit people with osteoarthritis and you can check with your
local YMCA or locate a program through your local Arthritis Foundation office.
Water-walking offers an alternative to walking in particular during the summer
months. In fact, it is an activity has been increasingly popular for those
suffering from arthritis. Again, your local YMCA or Arthritis Foundation office
is a good resource for locating a water walking program.
Resistance Exercise/Weight
Lifting
Light weight lifting
can help relieve pain from sore joints of the arms, hands, wrists, and fingers.
Many people believe that strength training can make arthritis worse but this is
not the case. In fact, lifting weights can help arthritis sufferers to function
better and help to reduce pain, swelling and stiffness in your arms, hands,
wrists and fingers. Lifting weights helps to strengthen muscles and strong
muscles can take the burden off joints. It is best to check with your doctor
before starting a strength-training program and to seek the guidance of a
professional to learn proper strength training techniques. A trained
professional can also teach correct positioning to avoid muscle tears and
increased swelling and pain of joints
Yoga
Another well-liked and
effective exercise option for people with arthritis is yoga. A popular
misconception is that yoga focuses merely on increasing flexibility. Yoga also
emphasizes postural alignment, strength, endurance and balance. Early
scientific studies of patients with arthritis participating in yoga have shown
promising results with some improvement in joint health, physical functioning,
and mental/emotional well-being.
If you want to try yoga
to see if it will be a good fit for your exercise needs, here are a few key
questions to ask:
1. What style of
yoga is offered in the class?
There are many styles
of yoga and not all are appropriate for people with arthritis. Anusara,
Integral, Iyengar, and Viniyoga are good options.
2. Is the
instructor certified?
Certification ensures
that your instructor has a minimum level of training and practical experience.
3. Are beginner
classes offered?
It is most helpful to
be grouped with students of similar experience and ability.
4. Does the
instructor have experience teaching students with arthritis?
If you can, find a
teacher who is familiar with your condition and can help you make proper
adjustments.
Don’t Overdo It
Research has shown that
staying active is vital to reducing joint pain and slowing the progression of
arthritis. Your doctor can help you with pain management but you can help
yourself by resting as necessary, by not overusing joints, losing weight,
eating healthy, and making use of hot and cold compresses before and after
exercises. You can also avoid foods that cause inflammation and contain high
water content. Most importantly - stay positive and keep moving.
Eating well. Eating a nutritious
diet is important for maintaining ideal weight and for bone health too. There
is no known diet which can cure arthritis, but eating well is important.
